The Platte County Citizen

A detention officer at the Platte County Detention Center suffered multiple injuries while attempting to restrain an inmate last week in a disagreement over toiletries being provided.

According to court documents, “inmate Ebonie Fleming was yelling at another female inmate” when officers told her to lock down in her cell. She refused the repeated commands.

Ebonie Fleming

Capt. Joe King and civilian detention officers Jennifer Foutch and Annette Simpson approached Fleming to diffuse the situation. She continued to argue and curse at officers demanding certain toiletry items be provided to her.

While King approached Fleming to gain control, “Fleming threw a punch over Captain King’s shoulder and hit Officer Simpson in her left eye,” according to court documents. All three officers then took Fleming to the ground with Simpson injuring her left pinky finger in the scuffle. While the officers were applying handcuffs, Fleming allegedly spit in Simpson’s face.

Simpson was taken to the hospital for evaluation.

On Wednesday, Sept. 21, officers interviewed Fleming after being advised of her Miranda Rights. According to court documents, Fleming said she refused to lockdown because she needed toilet paper and wasn’t getting it and didn’t believe she would receive the requested items. When officers attempted to grab her, Fleming allegedly felt threatened and thought she needed to protect herself.

According to court documents, Simpson had a small broken bone in her left pinky finger, and all other medical assessments came back normal.

Fleming was charged with felony second degree assault in addition to a felony for endangering correctional staff by contact with bodily fluids. She has a history of felony property damage in the first degree in 2012 when she was sentenced to two years in jail.

In 2009, Fleming was held in jail for 45 days due to an assault charge.